Chapter 59

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Chapter 59: We'll be together all alone again

I knew I must have had dreams like any other person, but it was very rare for me to remember them. The dream I had my first night in New York City, however, was too good not to remember. I dreamed that it was present day, but Jasper and I were back in our college apartment. We were hosting a party, and the apartment seemed to stretch around a sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces. Everyone from my Seattle crew was there, including people I didn't see as often, like Roberto and even his partner Al and Al's wife. My mom was there too, as were Cliff and Derek, Zack and Troy, Bruce and Tyrone, even Mitch and Teddy. There were others there too. Jasper's family and people I didn't recognize but who had names I'd heard him mention enough to become familiar. And then there were the complete strangers, people whose names and faces I didn't recognize but who I knew were friends Jasper and I made together. There were entirely too many people to fit into the space, yet the apartment didn't feel crowded and I didn't feel overwhelmed.

Jasper and I moved as a unit, stopping to talk to different people but never separating. My arm was around him, but I wasn't holding onto him tightly, forcing him to stay by my side. Instead of a sign of possession or control, it was a gesture of reassurance. Though he could step away from me at any time, he never did. Sometimes, though, he turned towards me, blocking out the party and the guests. He looked at me with bright, animated eyes and we shared a moment inaccessible to everyone else in the world that clearly said "we are here, together, and will stay that way always."

At one point Jasper and I drifted towards the apartment front door and I began to understand how we could host a party for everyone in our lives, even people who lived far away. To the side of the door was a keypad on which one could type one's desired destination. Once a destination was keyed in, the guest could open the door and exit to whichever location he or she came from. I could only assume that each guest had a similar device in their home to enable them to enter the apartment. I found this idea absolutely ingenious, and turned to Jasper to see if he knew where we had obtained this contraption and if it meant we could visit all our friends and family as easily as they could visit us, but when our eyes met his were filled with desire and he whispered, "I need to suck your cock!"

I shoved all thoughts of magic doors aside as I followed him to his bedroom, which was mercifully empty. We locked the door behind us and moved to the bed, where we quickly disposed of our clothes and laid down. Jasper positioned himself lower on the bed with his head between my legs and took my still growing cock immediately into his mouth. He sucked until I felt the tip hit the back of his throat and then grow even further right down the encapsulating tunnel. My hips lifted off the bed and I heard a moan. It took a few moments to realize that I was the one moaning. The sound of the party, which I had heard faintly through the closed and locked bedroom door, faded away until all I could hear were my own moans as I fisted the bed sheets and desperately fought to keep my hips still when all I wanted to do was fuck his beautiful mouth until I filled it with my jizz.

Then, as if with a snap of someone's fingers, I was awake. But even as I thought to turn my head to see if Jasper was awake to tell him about my dream, I felt suction. I looked down to see that, just as in my dream, Jasper was between my legs swallowing down my whole hard cock. And just as in my dream, I felt a moan rip from my throat. The sound caused Jasper to look up and our eyes met. Joy and mischief flooded his face, and then he released me to speak.

"Oh, did I wake you? Sorry, Tiger. I saw this delicious cock this morning and I just couldn't resist. I had to have a taste."

I raised my hand to my face to rub sleep out of my eyes, stretched, and smiled at him. "And was the taste enough? Because, you know, if you need more, I'm here for you."

"Such a giver," he laughed and shook his head. "But as a matter of fact, the taste wasn't nearly enough, so..." he dropped his head and engulfed my cock again. My breath caught and my hips arched while my hands slid down, fingers combing through his hair. His mouth felt amazing around me and his tongue was in constant motion, caressing the taut skin of my erection. He must have been at it for some time while I was still asleep, because I was already teetering on the edge of orgasm. He obviously sensed it too, because he used his fingers as a make-shift cock ring, even as he tongued my frenulum like his life depended on making me come despite the restriction. I writhed beneath him, torn between wanting him to continue and needing the release.

"Jas! Oh, fuck!" I cried out, trying to alert him to the fact that I was on the verge of losing control. He glanced up at me and blinked his understanding, stilling his tongue and just gently suckling my cock, giving me a chance to calm while still restricting me with his fingers. I gulped air and felt tension ease from my body, allowing me to sink deeper into the mattress. I was able to relax my fingers enough to caress Jasper's scalp and felt his free hand ghosting over my scrotum. I closed my eyes and luxuriated in the feeling of the urgency to orgasm ebbing away like the outgoing tide, comfortable in the knowledge that any moment Jasper was going to make it return.

Sure enough, a few moments later Jasper began sucking me in earnest, his head bobbing up and down over my hard rod. With each movement I was impaled deeper into his throat, until his lips encircled the base of my cock, right next to his constricting fingers. I gasped as he held me there, fully sheathed, completely still but for the subtle movement of his tongue against my sensitive cum tube. Tension began to coil tightly inside me again, easing only slightly when he pulled up to take a breath and rebuilding when he plunged back down. I let go of his head and gripped the sheets in a futile effort to postpone the inevitable. He took another breath and swallowed around me, giving me a few seconds of slight reprieve, then plugged his throat again, encasing me in the hot, wet tunnel. I thrashed beneath him, lifting my hips to thrust in deeper even though I was about as deep as I could possibly get.

"Jas, Jas!" I gave him another warning as I sensed my battle for control was nearly over. He got it, pulling up slightly. Our eyes met again and we silently communicated each other's readiness. Suddenly he simultaneously released my cock and reached up with both hands to pinch and twist my nipples just as his mouth descended the final centimeter onto my pole. The combined sensation and the sudden easing of blood flow to my cock sent my body into a tailspin. I could feel powerful bursts of cum shooting directly down his throat as I bucked beneath him. He released my nipples and grasped my hips in an effort not to lose his connection to me as he was forced to pull up for oxygen again. I continued to shudder in the aftermath of an unbelievably powerful orgasm, and he encouraged me by continuing to suckle me, though no longer pulling me into his throat. He hummed happily as he sucked the remains of my cum out of me until I was a limp puddle of melted muscle and bone, hyper sensitive and unable to move, not even to force open my droopy eyelids when I sensed him crawling up and laying down at my side.

"I really wanted to do that last night," he said softly almost directly into my ear, "but it was worth the wait."

He leaned over and kissed me, letting me taste the salty residue of my cum on his lips. I had no strength to move air through my voice box, so I merely parted my lips in a sigh, loving the way his tongue immediately slipped into my mouth and made itself at home. He kissed me slowly and thoroughly, giving me plenty of time to recover. He smiled when I was finally able to wrap my arms around him and stroke his back.

"You turned me to mush," I said when I finally found my voice. He smiled and sighed contentedly, lying on top of me. He placed his curled fist on my chest and rested his chin in the indentation so he could look straight into my eyes.

"It feels so good to know I can do that to you. In high school I dreamed of doing exactly that. I had this fantasy where my parents were gone somewhere and you came over. We were watching movies in the dark and I got brave and offered to blow you and you let me. And I made you feel so good you instantly decided I was the one you loved and wanted to be with."

"Then what happened?" I asked, lightly tracing abstract patterns with my fingers on his shoulders.

"I don't know," he admitted, looking away. "By the time I got to that point I was usually spent. Mostly I didn't bother thinking beyond it, because when I did, reality intruded. I mean, even in my fantasies I couldn't make your father come to terms with his son dating another boy. I couldn't imagine anyone else in Forks being okay with it either. I wouldn't have minded being an outcast with you. In fact, I might have thought it was sort of romantic. But I knew you wouldn't have been able to handle it, so I just didn't think that far. I stopped at the blow job," he grinned. "It was a wonderful fantasy, but the reality is so much better."

"I had fantasies about you in high school," I confessed. Confusion clouded his face.

"You did?"

"Not sexual ones. At least, not until after that night when you jacked me off. Before then I just imagined the two of us, after college, moving away to some big city and getting an apartment together. I imagined the two of us just being together somewhere away from Forks, doing stuff together, the stuff you always talked about doing during the summer in New York. I wanted us to go to concerts and museums, and bars. I wanted to watch the Fourth of July fireworks with you, and to spend New Year's Eve with you. That's why hearing about that summer you spent with Peter was so painful. He was living my fantasy with you. I didn't even know him, but I hated him for that."

He pulled away his hand and pressed his cheek to my chest. "I had no idea telling you what I was doing that summer hurt you that way," he said softly. "I thought you were just mad that I got to leave Forks and you didn't. I never suspected it might have been more than that."

"There was no reason for you to suspect anything more. I think I hid things pretty well, sometimes even from myself. I had so much anger towards this phantom guy who I only knew by name. I just pictured him taking my place in your life. The place I wanted in your life. I pictured you hanging out and laughing together. You know what I was like back then. I hated pretty much everyone. But I reserved the deepest level of hate for him."

Jasper sighed, and suddenly I was filled with regret. Why was I talking about this? Why was I reminding him of what I had been like at my worst?

"I'm sorry, Jas. I don't even know why I brought all that up. It doesn't matter now. It's all in the past."

"Right," he said, but there was something in his voice, a hint of trepidation, and I hated that my stupid recollections put it there.

"Come on, let's get up so you can show me the city. Make my teenage fantasies come true."

"Just like mine did a few minutes ago," he looked up at me and smiled. "All right. Let's go."

Since we hadn't bothered to brush our teeth the previous night, we first took our toiletry kits out of our bags and pulled out fresh clothes for the day. We relieved ourselves side by side, giggling like teenagers when we accidentally-on-purpose crossed streams. Jasper put the shower gel and shampoo he'd brought with him on a built-in shelf inside the tub/shower combo and turned on the water to warm it. We brushed our teeth and stepped into the tub, pulling the white shower curtain closed behind us.

The shower rod was curved, giving us a little more room than in a standard tub, but the area was by no means spacious.

"Cozy," he remarked with a smile, tilting his head back and reaching up to thoroughly wet his hair.

"I like it. In fact," I said, stepping up right next to him and reaching to grab his butt with both hands, "I like it even better when we're cozier."

"Ready for another round already, Tiger?" Jasper teased, wrapping his arm around my neck and flexing his hips towards me.

"I wish, but not quite," I said, only slightly wistful, given what was on my mind. "You, however, missed out on the first round," I pointed out, moving my right hand between us to stroke his rapidly growing cock. "I was hoping to remedy that. You're not the only one who woke up hungry."

"I would be a bad host to deny you sustenance," he flirted.

"Indeed, so you're not going to, are you?"

"Everything I have is yours," he said, causing my breath to catch in my throat. He dropped his head forward and was nuzzling at my neck, unaware of the impact of his statement. I, on the other hand, was stunned by the amount of trust he had just put in me, seemingly without a second thought. It made me reflect on how far we'd come since June, when he didn't even want to talk to me.

"Hey, everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, Jas, fine. I was just thinking."

He quirked his eyebrow at me inquisitively.

"I was thinking how much I love you and how good it feels to hold you. How much I missed this," I stammered out my explanation. His features softened and he leaned forward to kiss me. I accepted the kiss eagerly and returned it with double enthusiasm and feeling. Feeling the need to act instead of getting lost in my head again, I anchored my hands on his hips and slid to my knees in front of him.

"Edward!" he gasped as I took him deep into my mouth. I didn't bother trying to respond. Unless he gave me some indication that he wanted me to stop, I fully intended to keep lavishing attention on his cock until he was beyond spent.

Initially I just pulled him deep into my throat and held him there, closing my eyes against the spray of water that drifted over and around his body as he extended one arm to lean against the side wall of the shower. I remembered the first time I had ever tried to do this, loving the feel of his engorged head in my mouth but unable to take much more. With the benefit of experience, I had no trouble relaxing my throat enough to accommodate him completely, and with no visuals to distract me, I could focus completely on how perfectly his substantial length and girth filled the available space and how good his trimmed pubes felt rasping against my lips. I lowered my hands from his hips to his firm glutes, kneading them with my fingers as I held him against me.

"Edward, breathe!" I heard him command and felt a tug on my hair. I opened my eyes to look up at him, my lips curling as much as they were able into a smile. As it happened, I was getting to the point where I needed oxygen, so I reluctantly pulled back until only his head was cradled in my mouth over my curled and constantly moving tongue. I inhaled deeply through my nose and was about to deep throat him again when he stopped me with a gentle hand against my forehead.

"Just a sec, okay?" He asked even as he was reaching behind him to turn off the water. "No sense wasting it, right?"

I grasped his cock with my hand as I reluctantly pulled back to speak. "I don't want you to get cold," I said with concern.

He chuckled.

"I have a feeling what you have in mind will keep me plenty warm."

"That is the goal," I admitted and without further hesitation leaned in to get another mouthful. I was thwarted by him pulling back. Surprised, I looked up to find him grinning.

"Not so fast, Tiger. Let's make this last a little. How about you take care of my balls first?" he proposed, holding his dick up against his stomach with one hand as he thrust his pelvis forward to bring his ball sac closer to my lips. I didn't hesitate, sticking out my tongue under one testicle, and then the other, exploring the surface that was still smooth and loose, but beginning to show signs of the inevitable constriction that came with increased excitement. I left no millimeter of his scrotum unattended, laving and generously coating him with my copious saliva, his flavor literally making my mouth water.

"Suck them!" he ordered, letting go of his dick and grabbing the back of my head to push me into his groin. His hard cock lay trapped between his body and my face, resting along the side of my nose. I closed my eyes to keep the leaking precum from blurring my vision while I pulled one of his stones into my mouth and gently massaged it with my tongue. With every inhale I got a heady dose of his intimate scent and I found myself breathing faster than I needed to, just to get more of him inside me, any way I could.

"That feels so good!" he breathed out. "Now the other!" he commanded. When I didn't immediately respond he let go of my head and used his hand to slap my cheek lightly with his hard post. "You should do as I say if you want any of this," he mock threatened. Eager to display my new found obedience, I released the first egg and moved to the other, giving it the same loving treatment. I used my hands to give his ass a light massage as I lavished attention on the jewel in my mouth.

"Enough!" he groaned after a couple of silent minutes. I opened up the eye that wasn't blocked by his rod and looked up at him for his next direction. He pulled his hips back, his testicle slipping out of my mouth. He moved his hand to my face, running the palm along my cheek and tracing my lips with his thumb. I opened my mouth and sucked his thumb in, circling it with my tongue. "Yeah, that's right. You got it," he encouraged as I sucked harder. "Show me what else you can do with that mouth."

I had his entire thumb in my mouth, sucking it and licking it with abandon, but it wasn't enough. I looked up at him, pleading silently with my eyes.

"You want more?" he queried. I nodded my head slightly and moaned in response. "You wanna suck my big dick?"

I moaned louder and sucked even more enthusiastically.

"What if I don't let you do that?" he mused, his voice becoming steelier. "What if I just want you to keep that pretty mouth open while I fuck your face and choke you with my cock?"

This was not the soft, compliant Jasper I remembered from our youth. This was the commanding Jasper of the previous night. It was surprising to hear him like this, but highly erotic too. My own neglected erection throbbed insistently between my legs, my earlier orgasm all but forgotten.

"Well?" he demanded, pulling his thumb from my mouth and grasping my chin firmly to keep me looking up at him.

"Whatever you want. I'm yours," I easily slipped into role playing the submissive part, keeping my tone appropriately deferential.

"You are mine, aren't you?"

I answered by nodding, then added, "I'm all yours. On my knees before you, ready to service you however you want."

He let go of my chin and grasped his dick tightly. "Damn, Edward, that's hot!" he exclaimed, momentarily breaking out of his role. "But I don't know if I can-"

I dug my fingernails into his ass to stop him from speaking and looked up at him with heated eyes. "Fuck my mouth with your long, hard cock!" I pleaded, silently begging him to stay in the fantasy. He frowned and gave himself a stroke. I made a half-hearted effort to capture his erection with my mouth, hoping he'd refuse and play punish me. He caught on and yanked himself aside, his eyes hardening to a cold blue.

"Not until I'm ready!" he warned, and slapped the side of my face with his pole. "Be still, and keep your eyes and lips closed!" he demanded.

I pressed my lips together and shut my eyes as ordered, moaning when I felt him trace the contours of my face with the weeping head of his cock, leaving a sticky trail on my skin to mark his route. He began at my forehead, rolled over my brows and eyes, traced my cheekbones down to my chin, then returned higher to run his head down the ridge of my nose. He rested it briefly under my nose before lowering it to trace first my upper lip, and then the lower, warning me not to open my mouth as he did it. I could feel his precum coating my lips like a gay man's version of lip gloss. I was dying to taste it, to taste him, but also determined to obey his directions.

"Open your mouth and stick out your tongue," he finally allowed. "Don't move it, just stick it out and hold it there," he elaborated. "And keep your eyes closed!"

I stayed in place. The wait seemed interminable. I still had my hands on his ass, so I knew he was there, but no other part of him was touching me now. The longer I waited, the more aware I became of how aroused I was. He hadn't said I couldn't touch myself, but in this fantasy it seemed like I should ask permission, and I couldn't do that without moving my tongue, as he'd specifically instructed me not to do. The porcelain of the tub was cold and hard on my knees. That, combined with the general tension of waiting and trying to anticipate his next move, made me tremble slightly.

"Is it too much? Do you want to stop?" he immediately asked with concern.

I shook my head vigorously, but said nothing, keeping my tongue out as instructed.

"Stay still," his voice was harsh again and I froze in place, facing straight ahead. A second later I felt a fat drop of precum falling onto my tongue. "Swallow it!" he granted permission and ordered at the same time. He didn't need to repeat himself, as I eagerly swallowed his offering and immediately stuck out my tongue for more. "Good," he praised and rested the head of his penis on my outstretched tongue. He moved both of his hands to the back of my head. "Now suck me!" he demanded.

I immediately complied, pulling him into my mouth and hollowing my cheeks to give him exactly what he asked for. I sucked hard and fast, rolling my tongue around his sensitive head and relishing the noises he was making. I wanted to look at him, but he hadn't given me permission to open my eyes, so I lost myself in my other senses. Hearing and smelling him was erotic enough, but feeling his silk-sheathed hardness in my mouth and swallowing his precum was entirely overwhelming. I forgot everything else. My only mission was to bring him the greatest pleasure, which is why I moaned in protest when, a few minutes later, he yanked my hair and again ordered me to stop.

"Open your eyes and look at me," he demanded in a whisper. I did as he asked. My eyelids were still sticky and there was a bit of precum caught in my eyelashes, but my vision was otherwise clear. I stared up at the most beautiful man I've ever known, his face like an angelic vision above me. "I'm going to fuck your mouth now," he announced, his voice soft and quiet. "Do you want that?" I blinked in affirmation and he nodded his understanding of my consent. "Keep your eyes open and up on me," he directed.

I gave a slight nod and continued to look up at him as his hands tightened around my head while he slowly thrust deep into my mouth and throat. I moaned, gripping his ass in encouragement. He pulled back slowly and thrust again. The slowness was hot and maddening at the same time. I gazed up at him, trying to convey that he could and should go faster. He seemed to understand, because he began to move with more speed and force. He never took his eyes off me, and I realized he was using our visual connection to make sure he wasn't causing me harm. I could tell by his expression that he was using every bit of resolve to stave off his release. I began moving my tongue as much as I could against the sensitive underside of his cock as he fucked my face to help break that control. Soon he too was trembling, pumping into my mouth erratically until he gave one final push all the way in and I felt his dick harden before it began to pulse, sending streams of jizz down my open throat. He held me to him for a few seconds, fighting not to close his eyes, then released his hold and pulled back a little, throwing his head back as well and letting out a strangled yell. I tightened my lips to keep his head in my mouth, not willing to give up any of his cum. I suckled gently as I pressed my cheek to his lightly hairy thigh, feeling his quadriceps quivering beneath.

He leaned heavily against the shower wall with one hand, and put the other on my shoulder. "My God, Edward," he said, sounding weak and almost awed. "Shit, I can barely stand."

Confident I had drained him completely, I rolled my tongue around his head one last time before releasing his cock from my mouth. I stood up and leaned back against the shower wall. Ignoring the cold tiles pressing against my back, I opened my arms. "Come here. Lean on me," I encouraged.

He maneuvered carefully in the limited space, looking down to avoid slipping, until he stood in front of me. He leaned forward, pressing his body to mine and snaking his hands to rest at the curve of my lower back as I enveloped him in my arms. After weeks of craving this, I loved finally holding him close, feeling the strong, steady beat of his heart and the warm caress of his contented sigh against my skin.

"That was intense," he murmured. "Almost too damn intense to do while standing, especially in the fucking shower."

"It was pretty intense," I concurred. "I hope it was good too."

"Oh God, so good," he slowly ran his fingers back and forth over my lower back as he spoke, his cheek resting on my shoulder. "And different. I mean," he laughed nervously, "I have no idea where that came from. I've never done that before. That was okay, right?" concern crept into his voice.

"Okay? It was hot! I've never done anything like that either, but I liked it. You're so damn sexy when you take charge!"

I felt his face shift into a smile. "Yeah?" he asked, lifting his head to look at me? "Are you sure it's not just you wanting to slack off on your top duties? You're supposed to be taking charge."

"Where is it written that a top has to be the one to take charge?" I challenged playfully. "Seth's a bottom and you know damn well he's always in charge."

"I'm no Seth, but I suppose I can pick up your slack every once in a while," he jokingly conceded. "Especially when you travel across the country to see me and fuck me as well and thoroughly as you did last night."

My cock, which had gone soft around the same time his had, twitched at the mention of the previous night.

"Mm, someone needs attention," Jasper felt the twitch and began withdrawing his hand, undoubtedly intending to slip it between us. Much as my dick longed for his warm, firm grip, I knew where that would lead and I didn't want to be greedy. I reached for his wrist with one of my hands and grabbed it before he could execute his plan. He lifted his head and looked at me, inquisitive and confused.

"I'd love for you to keep going, Jas, but unless we really do want to spend the whole day in this room, we might want to save this for later."

He nodded reluctantly. "Not that I wouldn't love spending the day in this room with you, but we're supposed to have dinner with my dad tomorrow. He knows it's your first visit to New York, so he'll probably ask where we went and what we saw."

I swallowed past the uncomfortable knot forming in my throat. I remembered how worried I'd been once about meeting Cliff's parents, and Bruce and Tyrone, even though Cliff had only told them good things about me. I imagined Jasper's father's impression of me was already less than positive. I didn't want to make it even worse by having to admit that I'd spent my entire first day in a new city in bed with his son.

"That's an excellent reason to get out there and see something. Though, maybe we should grab a bite to eat first," I suggested. As if on cue, my stomach loudly rumbled its agreement, making Jasper smile.

We turned the water back on and washed each other quickly, then toweled each other off and got dressed. Remembering the clean-up we neglected the previous night, I took my towel and did my best to wipe off the dried milky rivulets of Jasper's spunk off the window, looking out at the multicolored expanse of Central Park as I worked.

"I should be doing that," he protested as he walked up behind me. "I'm the one who made the damned mess."

"I like to think I contributed something to the mess making," I said with a chuckle and turned my head to find his lips.

"This is an amazing view," I commented when we finally pulled apart after the prolonged kiss. "I've seen Central Park in movies and on TV, but it's completely different to see it in person. I can't believe this huge expanse of nature exists right here in the center of Manhattan."

"It's no Mount Rainier, but it's pretty cool, right? I know how much you like to be near nature, so I wanted to make sure we had this view for the weekend. I thought it would make you feel more at home. I love the way Central Park looks this time of year, especially from this high up. It's like a lush tapestry."

"It's beautiful," I agreed. "Looks like a great place to go for a walk."

"Yeah, I do that on occasion. We could go today, if you'd like," he offered.

"Let's save that for another visit. Today I want you to show me your New York, starting with breakfast," I smiled as I turned around. "We need to get our show on the road."

I dropped the dirty towel in the bathroom and took out my small travel messenger bag that easily held my camera, phone and water bottle.

"Lead on, sir," I told Jasper.

"We could eat in the hotel restaurant," Jasper thought out loud as we walked to the elevator. "That would be the fastest."

"But that's not where you would normally eat breakfast. Like I said, I want to see your New York. Can we go to a place you like for breakfast?"

"Sure," he hesitated. The elevator arrived and we stepped inside. "It's a bit of a walk, though. We could take the subway from Columbus Circle to Lincoln Center, though, and walk from there."

"You don't usually take the subway either, though, right?" I never recalled him on the subway in all the times we spoke when he was on his way home from work. "I hike for a living in the mountains, remember? A walk on flat sidewalks doesn't intimidate me and we can see more of the city that way."

We exited the hotel and headed west along 59th Street, with Central Park lining our way across the street. I was glad to have seen it from up above, because at street level it was impossible to truly appreciate its immense scope. In a few minutes we reached the park's corner at Columbus Circle. Jasper pointed out the Time Warner center as we turned onto Broadway and made our way to Lincoln Center and beyond.

Jasper had plenty to tell me about the neighborhood as we walked. He was completely in his element and his confidence was visible in every relaxed yet self-assured step. I hung on his every word and tried to look around as he directed me to various points of interest, but my eyes kept drifting back to him, the man who was not only my gorgeous blond tour guide, but also my fucking boyfriend! Each time that realization hit me I had to resist the urge to pull him into a kiss. I managed to restrain myself, but only just.

It took us less than twenty minutes to reach our destination. I was probably more surprised than I should have been to discover we were standing in front of Old John's Luncheonette, an honest to goodness diner. I glanced at Jasper, wondering if he knew what I was thinking.

"Some things never change," he said with an almost embarrassed shrug. "They do a good breakfast, anytime."

We walked in and were seated in a booth. My sense of déjà vu was tingling as I recalled all the times Jasper and I had gone to our favorite diner on the outskirts of Port Angeles. I'd thought about him every time I'd been in a diner since then. Had he been thinking about me too?

"My friends never understood why this was my favorite place to eat, even though there are other restaurants in the area that they claim are just as good. For the longest time they teased that I must have a crush on one of the waiters, and I didn't bother denying it," he said, as if reading my thoughts. "I even flirted with him, shamelessly, even though it was obvious he was a total bottom. But that was easier than admitting, even to myself, that I came here because it reminded me of you. But now we're both here, it feels pretty undeniable. I guess subconsciously I craved some connection with you, even if just through a similar restaurant."

I reached over to grab his hand, which was resting on the table. "I've never walked into a diner without thinking of you. And I love this place," I said, looking around. "I'm so glad you brought me here. It's the perfect place for our first meal in New York."

"Hey Jasper," a bubbly voice preceded a young, smiling waitress with dirty blond hair pulled into pigtails. In her right hand she had a pot of regular coffee and a pot of decaf in her left. "It's been a while. We were beginning to wonder if maybe you found another favorite spot," she chided. She poured us both coffees in response to our nods.

"Hey, Roxie." Jasper greeted her with a warm smile of his own. "You know that would never happen. I've just been more busy than usual lately. First I was out of town and then Ross and Dimi got bashed by some asshole homophobes and I've spent all my free time in the hospital and at home, helping out."

"Oh no, are they all right?" Roxie obviously knew exactly who Ross and Dimi were, which didn't surprise me, considering Jasper mentioned coming here with his friends.

"Ross had a broken arm, but was otherwise OK. Dimi's condition was more serious. Still is. He's gonna have his second surgery this week, but he's doing much better and the doctors are optimistic that after this surgery and some physical therapy, he'll be back to his old self."

"Aw, poor Dimi. And Ross must be frantic."

"He is. We're all trying to pitch in and help out so he has as much time with Dimi as possible."

"Well, let Ross know that I'll be happy to pitch in too, when I'm not here, and I'm sure others here would too. We love those guys. Such a nice couple. I hope the cops caught the thugs and they get what's coming to them." She narrowed her eyes dangerously, making it clear she had no mercy for the attackers.

"Fortunately there were witnesses so the cops were able to catch them. I think they're going to cop a plea, though," Jasper grimaced. "Gay organizations are putting as much pressure on the DA as they can, but that may not be enough. Trials cost money while plea bargains are exactly that, a bargain for the government and the assholes."

"Fuckers!" Roxie swore vehemently, and then looked around to make sure none of the other patrons heard her. "Oops! Anyway, who's this hottie with you today? I would have remembered meeting him."

"Roxie, this is Edward, my boyfriend," Jasper's face was alight with a smile again. I grinned right back at him and then glanced at the waitress, who was staring at me with contemplation.

"Boyfriend, huh? Well, it's about time! Hi, Edward. I'm Roxie."

"Nice to meet you, Roxie," I said happily, glad to have such a welcoming reception.

"You're not a New Yorker," she immediately observed with a tilt of her head.

"Edward lives in Seattle," Jasper explained. "We both grew up in the same town in Washington State."

"Seattle's pretty far away," Roxie observed.

Jasper and I both sighed at the same time, and then chuckled. "You're not telling us anything we don't know, Rox," Jasper replied. "The distance is killer."

"Well," Roxie shrugged her shoulders, "The Big Apple is called that for a reason. We have room for one more." Then, as if suddenly remembering she was working, she said, "but you boys must be starving. I know what Jasper's having, but what can I get you, Edward?"

Jasper looked at me questioningly and I nodded without him having to voice his query. "He'll have the two by two by two, Rox, over easy," he ordered.

"You got it. I'll tell Mario to get right on those. Back in a New York minute," she said over her shoulder with a wink in my direction as she made her way to her other tables to refill the other diners' coffees.

"She's nice," I commented, still happy with how easily she accepted me as Jasper's boyfriend.

"She is, and she likes you. She's not that friendly with everyone."

"Well, it's an auspicious beginning," I summarized my feelings. "I like this place even more now. We should come here every time I'm in town. It'll be even easier when we're staying at your place. You said it's nearby, right? Can we go see it? I know your friends are there, but we don't have to stay long. I'd just like to meet them. We can bring them lunch," I enthused.

"Um," Jasper hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. I frowned. Something was obviously bothering him.

"You don't want me to meet your friends," the explanation dawned on me in a flash, followed by instant disappointment.

"No," he shook his head vehemently. "That's not it at all. Of course I want that. I want you to get to know everyone I know and for them to get to know you. I want that very much. It's just..."

"Just what?"

"Well," he hesitated again. "Do you remember when I told you that I didn't share much of my personal history with people, except friends who knew everything about me anyway? Well, Ross and Dimi are very good friends. I've known them for a long time and they know everything."

"They know about what happened in Seattle." It wasn't a question, since I already knew the answer.

"For years they knew as much as I did, and you know that wasn't exactly...um...I didn't exactly paint you in the best light," telling me the truth was clearly painful for him and he did so reluctantly, his voice full of apology.

"They think I'm an abusive asshole," I summarized, feeling deflated.

"I'm sorry," he didn't deny it. "I didn't know any better then, and I certainly never thought we'd see each other again, much less fall in love."

"But haven't you told them I've changed?"

"I have," he assured. "Not immediately, because at first I wasn't completely convinced myself, but as soon as I came back from Chicago yes, I absolutely told them you'd changed. Trouble is, they weren't there, so they weren't convinced that you weren't just acting or manipulating. They thought I might have been less than objective. They may be a little overprotective sometimes. It was my plan all along to work on them when I returned from Seattle, but then they were both hurt and I wanted them to focus on healing and each other. I didn't want to upset them."

"Okay," I nodded slowly, trying to digest the fact that Jasper's best friends apparently hated me, even though they'd never even met me.

"They'll come around, Edward, you'll see. As soon as Dimi is done with this surgery and feeling better, I'll sit them down and explain what happened. I'll tell them everything, including the assumptions I made that turned out to be so wrong. Once they see how good we are together and how much we love each other, they'll understand and they'll be happy for us."

"How can they see that if they never meet me?"

"Not never, Edward. Just not this weekend. Not right before Dimi's next surgery. They're not in the right frame of mind for this right now. And this may be for the best. I thought this weekend we could get together with some of our other friends, who don't really know what happened in the past. I think that will help. They're neutral, and they'll tell Ross and Dimi how wonderful you are. They'll be our ambassadors."

I snorted. I knew I'd be facing challenges from Jasper's family, but I hadn't counted on such an uphill battle with his friends. They sounded as protective as the fire breathing dragon girl I met in Rochester. I wondered if I would have to face her again as well.

"My dad will be too," Jasper kept talking, oblivious to my concerns. "Both Ross and Dimi really respect his opinion, and I just know Dad will love you. It'll be better if you meet him first."

I frowned, not feeling nearly as confident. I knew first-hand how difficult it was for families to keep an open mind about people who they perceived as hurting their loved ones. Mom and Maggie both liked Jasper once and knew how much of a jerk I'd been to him, yet they resented him for leaving the way he did and then refusing to have contact with me. Jasper's father practically didn't know me at all. He only had Jasper's word about who I was. Could I reverse six years of negativity with a single visit? Was it even worth trying, or was it possible that my meeting Jasper's father would only make things worse? But then, I didn't have a choice. Sooner or later I would have to face him, face all of them.

Jasper would have to do the same on my side, of course. Except, I remembered with a start, he didn't even know that there was anyone on my side other than my mom. I didn't want to tell him about my family over the phone, but that wasn't a good excuse any more.

"You should know," I began, only to be interrupted by Roxie bringing our order.

"Here we are boys," she said brightly as she placed the dishes in front of us. Then she noticed our moods had changed. "Hey, who came and pissed on your parade?"

"No one, we're just talking about the guys," Jasper said, letting Roxie infer that we were discussing the bashing.

"Ah," Roxie nodded. "It sucks what happened, but they're gonna be all right, and you know, life goes on. The assholes will get punished, even if not enough."

"Oh, they'll get punished all right," Jasper said with a hard glint in his eyes that I hadn't seen since he orchestrated his revenge on Bella. "One way or another."

"Now honey, you're not thinking of doing something stupid, are you?" Roxie picked up on the malice in Jasper's voice too. "If you respond to violence with violence it'll just breed more violence."

"You know I'm not a violent guy, Rox. Besides, look at me, what could I really do? I'm not a fighter," Jasper gave her a small smile, but his face was still cold. "No, what I have in mind will be what they least expect, and it won't be traceable back to any of us. It may take some time, but eventually I'll get them," he promised solemnly.

"Hey, your boyfriend's here from out of town," Roxie chided. "Instead of spinning revenge plots, why don't you focus more on him? He's so hot, if you neglect him too long someone else may just swoop in and steal him right out from under your nose."

"He's not neglecting me, and there's no way another guy could ever steal me away. I'm just not interested in anyone else," I gave her a beaming smile. "I've waited too long for this man to be with me. No one else has ever compared or ever will."

"Aw," she stuck out her lower lip. "That's the sweetest, most romantic thing I've heard in I don't know how long. You take care of this one, Jasper. He's a keeper. And I can see why you were holding out. You can't find a guy like this in New York. Believe me, I've tried. I think maybe I should go to Seattle, if this is how they make them out there." She giggled and walked away, leaving us to our breakfast.

"Wow," Jasper said, grinning.

"What?" I asked, a little confused.

"I just never tire of watching you turn on that Edward Cullen charm full blast."

"I wasn't trying to charm her," I defended, feeling self-conscious.

"Oh, I know. That's what I mean. You do it without even trying. It's great! Or at least it is now that you're with me, and I know you're not interested in women. But enough about that. We need to eat, and you were going to tell me something I should know," he reminded.

"Right," I released his hand so we could both use our utensils and took a bite of my food to gain some time. I was going to tell him about my family, but now that we'd moved away from the subject I didn't know how to begin. I took a few more bites and chased them with coffee. Jasper ate as well, though I could see his gaze shifting from his food to me, waiting for me to begin. A few more silent bites and the tension was too much for me to ignore. I took a deep breath and began.

"You were talking about meeting your dad tomorrow, and I was thinking how he has some preconceived ideas about who I am and what I did, so he may not just accept me as easily as you seem to think. And I wouldn't blame him. I mean, setting aside what happened the night before you left, I'd been a jerk to you. I screwed up when you came out and plenty of times before that and after. And if someone did that to my kid, I wouldn't be quick to forgive him."

I saw a quick smile form on his face before he became serious.

"My dad is a writer, but he also studies people. He's not a therapist, but he knows a lot about psychology and why people do the things they do. Honestly, I think after I told him what happened between us, he understood you better than I did. I wouldn't underestimate him or assume that he'll have a knee-jerk reaction to anything."

"Okay, let's assume you're right and your father gives me the benefit of a doubt. I'm willing to bet your mom won't do the same. She never liked me much even before all this happened."

"You're right, convincing my mom will be more difficult, but she'll come around, you'll see. She'll just need to see for herself how happy we are together."

"Right, so what I was saying earlier is that you should know the same is sort of true for my family."

Jasper frowned.

"Have you reestablished contact with your dad? I thought you weren't on speaking terms."

"Absolutely not," I said emphatically. "I haven't seen my father and have no desire to."

"Then I'm not sure I understand. Do you mean your mom?"

"Yes. I actually mean my mom and my sister."

I watched as he absorbed the words. The crease between his brows grew deeper.

"Sister? That's new. I assumed you were still an only child. Why didn't you say anything? How old is she? I guess she was born before your parents' divorce? Their attempt to save the marriage?"

"It's not what you're thinking. She's actually my age, just a few months younger."

"A few months younger?" His eyes widened, and then clouded with confusion. I didn’t blame him. Anyone his place would feel the same.

"Yeah. Remember I told you there was a lot about my family I needed to explain?"

He nodded. I could see he was still thinking furiously, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together. Only I knew that would be impossible, since he was missing some crucial information. Eventually he gave up and took a bite of his food. "Well," he said after he swallowed. "There's no time like the present. I'm listening."

"I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to tell you the way my mom told me, going back to when she was a little girl. Even before that, I guess. It's actually kind of important, so bear with me."

Jasper nodded and took another bite from his skillet as he listened. I began sharing the Masen family history, explaining how my grandfather turned into a sour old man who hated his daughter enough to trap her in a loveless marriage even after she found out her philandering husband impregnated another girl in town.

"Siobhan was a victim too," I emphasized, "of both my father, who seduced her, and my grandfather, who insisted that her parents ship her out of town. But she met Liam in Ireland, and they have a wonderful marriage, so for her, things worked out for the best."

"Wait, so Maggie O'Callaghan is your sister?" Jasper was stunned.

"Half-sister, if you want to be technical." I smiled.

"But obviously you didn't know that when we were in high school. I mean, you never said anything, and you called her names when she and I were friends in the beginning of Senior Year." His gaze drifted towards the wall and a faraway look came over his face, as if he was trying to remember something. "Maggie said something once about her mother coming too close to the light and getting burned. At the time I had no idea what she was talking about, but it makes sense now, kind of. She must have known who her real father was."

"She knew," I confirmed. "I knew too. But as you know she and I hated each other. I thought her mother was a slut who seduced a married man. It wasn't until later that Maggie pointed out the closeness of our ages, and how that made my theory impossible."

"I suppose I can understand why you didn't tell me, but why didn't she? She hinted, but she never said anything. She had your eyes. That's why they looked so familiar!" he looked up at me with a start. "I can't believe I didn't put that together."

"Don't beat yourself up. No one in town put it together either. Maggie looked enough like Liam for everyone to assume she was his daughter, especially given my and Maggie's ages."

"So did you reconnect with her after your father left? Is that why you finally bonded?"

"No," I shook my head. "Actually my mom was responsible for bringing us together a lot earlier than that. Remember what I told you about being in the hospital? When my parents came to see me my father wanted to take me back to Forks. When I refused, he left, and insisted that Mom go with him. The clause in my grandfather's trust made her afraid to refuse to go back, but she knew I needed help, so she called Siobhan to get Maggie's number and asked her to help me."

"And Maggie agreed? Just like that? After all those years of the two of you hating each other?"

I shrugged as I ate the last of my breakfast. "Mom did compensate her, but Maggie has a big heart. She felt sorry for me. And maybe a part of her wanted to watch me when I was all helpless. In any event, once she moved in and we started spending all our time together, we discovered, slowly, that we really liked each other."

"She moved in?" Jasper was incredulous.

"Yeah. Mom discovered while I was at the hospital that all your stuff was gone, so she offered Maggie the room while she took care of me. She moved in, and brought her girlfriend, Rose, along."

"Girlfriend?" Jasper's eyes went wide.

"Yup," I nodded. "My half-sister's a lesbian. What are the odds?"

"Wow!" Jasper breathed out. "A lesbian half-sister you hated moving into your apartment with a girlfriend in tow? And you allowed it?"

"I had no choice, really. My leg was in a cast and one of my wrists was sprained. I couldn't drive. I could barely piss by myself. I needed someone to help me, especially with school. I wouldn't have made it through the term without her."

He shook his head. "I'm sorry. Even knowing how much you've changed, I still can't picture that."

"I know. Honestly, if I hadn't felt like everything was lost already, I probably wouldn't have agreed to it. But I was kind of like an alcoholic who'd hit bottom. I tried making it alone, and I knew that didn't work. It didn't stop me from being a jerk to them, at first, anyway. Eventually, though, we grew closer. Not just Maggie and Rose, but Emmett and Seth too. I used to call them the gay squadron." I smiled at the recollection. "The four of them were such a pain in the ass sometimes, but they not only saved me from myself, they helped me become a better person. I could never repay that kind of debt or ever express just how much I appreciate everything they've done for me and continue to do. I'm related to Maggie by blood, but all four of them are my family."

"So is Maggie still with Rose?"

"Yup," I nodded. "They got married in November of my second year at UW."

"So you not only have a sister, you have a sister-in law? What's she like?" he asked curiously.

"She's great. A little bossy, like Seth. Confident. She knows her mind. She's tall, blond and gorgeous. Seth calls her the Amazon. If you don't know her she can be a little intimidating, but she's very loyal and loving. In many ways, she and Maggie are opposites, but that's what makes them fit together so well. They love each other very much."

"That's great, Edward! It's good you like them and get along with them."

"You boys want a refill on the coffees?" Roxie came by with the two carafes in hand. Jasper and I looked down at our empty plates and cups.

"Sure," Jasper said. "We'll take a refill and the check, please, Rox."

"Here's the coffee," she offered, pouring, "and I'll be right back with the check. Glad to see you two looking less serious. You should be grinning and celebrating your weekend together," she observed.

"Oh, we have celebrated," I quipped with a grin. "And we plan to do a lot more celebrating tonight! This is just a pit stop for refueling," I couldn't keep back my implication laden response, which made her chuckle knowingly.

"Good. Things are exactly as they should be, then. I'm really happy for you, Jasper," she told him.

"Thanks, Roxie," he answered, smiling.

"So where were we?" I asked after she walked away.

"You were telling me about Rosalie and that Seth calls her Amazon. Do they not get along? I know I would have remembered Maggie if I'd seen her at Seth and Garrett's wedding."

"Oh, no, the girls are definitely part of our group. Rosalie and Seth snipe at each other all the time, but it's just a game. In fact, Rosalie was supposed to officiate Seth and Garrett's wedding, but her grandmother died so she, Maggie and the boys had to go to the funeral out of state that weekend. She did officiate Emmett and Nasir's wedding."

"The boys?" Jasper was confused by my passing reference to Liam and Owen.

"The kids. Maggie and Rose have two sons."

"Holy crap! Maggie has two kids?"

"Yup. Maggie carried Liam. He's the older. The three of us were still living together when she was pregnant and even after he was born for a while. She had a few complications with the pregnancy, but both she and the baby were fine, and Liam is just an amazing kid. He's smart, funny, loving and caring. He's the one who picked out Remmy for me, so I wouldn't have to live alone."

"And your other nephew?"

"Owen. After Maggie's complications, Rosalie carried Owen and, of course, she had no problems. She joked that no man would get the better of her. Owen is a little more shy and reserved, but very sweet. Mom says he reminds her of me when I was little. He loves his Auntie Esme."

"It's nice that your mom is involved in your life like that, and that she and Maggie seem to get along."

"Actually, everyone gets along. I get along with Rosalie's family and her older brother, Jason, and also with Maggie's parents. Mom gets on with Siobhan and Liam too. In fact, after we all moved out of Forks, I gave the O'Callaghans our house. Neither Mom nor I wanted it, and Siobhan deserved at least that for what my father did. Now, when the girls go to Forks to visit there's plenty of room for everyone. They visit Mom at her B&B too, from time to time. And I take the boys to see her."

"I suppose if she can't have grandchildren, your nephews are the closest things," Jasper speculated.

Roxie appeared to clear the dishes and give us our check, and disappeared as quickly after wishing us a good weekend.

"Yeah," I continued our conversation, ignoring the interruption. "There is something else I should tell you, but it's technically a secret. Not that everyone hasn't guessed, but no one knows for sure except my mom. I couldn't keep it from her."

"Oh?" Jasper frowned.

"Biologically, Owen is mine."

He looked stunned, and then a little queasy. "Did you and Rosalie...?" he couldn't bring himself to ask the question.

"No! Of course not," I hastened to reassure. "I jerked off into a cup at a clinic like I was told to do. Rosalie's brother was the sperm donor for Liam, so the girls asked me to donate for Owen. This way the boys are as biologically related as possible."

"Oh," Jasper looked relieved. "Or maybe I mean whoa! You have a kid!"

"No," I shook my head emphatically. "My married sisters are mothers to two wonderful boys and I have two wonderful nephews. That's the reality, and no one can ever know about the sperm donation, at least not until after I'm 40, just in case."

"Oh, right, your grandfather's trust conditions," he frowned. "Surely those can be challenged?"

"I doubt it. It's a private trust and there's no law that says I have to inherit my grandfather's money if I don't meet the conditions. Don't get me wrong. I knew I was taking a risk when I donated and it was worth it. If the news somehow came out and I lost the money in the second trust, that would be fine. But ideally it won't, and I don't feel guilty about it. Because Owen really is not my son. In fact, in a strange life twist, I'm actually much closer with Liam than with Owen. Liam and I bonded right from the start. I helped raise him when he was an infant. Changed his diapers, did night feedings. I even taught him how to pee standing up, when I was watching him the morning Owen was born," I said proudly. Out of all the things I'd done with the boys before and since, that seemed the closest to fatherhood I've ever been.

Jasper watched me in disbelief. I gave him a small grin, suddenly embarrassed.

"I'm just," he grappled for the right word, "stunned, I guess. It's all a little unbelievable. More than a little. Why didn't you tell me before?"

I shrugged. He took the news so well, my reasons for holding back seemed very silly.

"I wanted you to meet them all, at the wedding. Actually, you would have met them at dinner the night before the wedding. You should have seen the boys breaking dishes," I laughed. "Liam's eyes got so big when Rosalie gave him permission."

"I'm sure," Jasper nodded. "How often does a kid get permission to do that? Should we pay this and get going?" he asked, picking up the check with his left hand and reaching for his wallet with the right.

"I'll get it," I immediately offered.

"Nope. You paid in Washington. Now you're my guest."

"But Jas, I just told you about the trust funds," I protested.

"Doesn't matter," he insisted. "This weekend you're my guest and I'm paying. I insist."

"Okay," I agreed, unwilling to argue with him, especially over something so minor. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," he replied, placing a generous tip for Roxie under the bottom of his coffee cup. "Come on, let's walk and talk, so you can see more of the city."

He paid at the register and we stepped out onto the sidewalk. "Where to next?" he asked. I wasn't sure if the question was rhetorical, but I wanted to voice my idea, so I chose to respond.

"I understand why we can't see your apartment, but could we maybe see the building you live in? Since we're in your neighborhood."

He thought for a moment. "Sure, we can do that. It's in the wrong direction, but we can take the subway back into midtown, to save time."

We turned and walked further north.

"So tell me more about your nephews. Do you see them often?"

"I do. I usually have dinner at the girls' house at least once a week after work, and I often babysit the boys, either at my place or theirs, just to give them some alone time. They have a house in Kent, which is just down the road from Covington. I also usually take the boys with me when I go visit my mom. They really love those trips."

"You really are a doting uncle," Jasper observed. "Do you have a picture of them?"

"As a matter of fact I do." I pulled out my phone and found a picture of the four of them. "This was just taken a month ago at my Labor Day party," I said, handing him the phone. He took it and stopped walking to look at it carefully.

"It's a beautiful family," he commented. "Maggie's different than I remember her. And my God, Edward! Owen-"

"I know. I wouldn't be able to deny him if I tried. He's a great kid, and he's finally coming out of Liam's shadow a little and becoming his own person. Seth has a lot to do with that. He's taken Owen under his wing and gave him a Native American name. It's cute to see them together."

Jasper smiled as he kept staring at the image. "I can't wait to meet them," he finally said, handing the phone back.

"I can't wait for you to meet them. Liam especially will be very excited to meet you." I relayed as we started walking again.

"Oh?" Jasper looked at me with one raised eyebrow.

"A few years back he saw everyone in the group paired up and he got it into his head that I needed a boyfriend. Ever since then he's been trying to find me one. And you know how persistent kids can be! Once I took him grocery shopping with me and he walked right up to a man who was there alone and asked him if he'd like to be my boyfriend. I nearly died. Thankfully the guy wasn't a complete asshole. He smiled and told Liam that his girlfriend probably wouldn't like it. After that incident we had a long talk with the boys about what is and is not inappropriate to ask strangers. The girls also explained that even though their mommies like girls and their uncles like boys, most boys out there are like their Uncle Jason and like girls and most girls are like their Auntie Zoe and like boys."

"Huh. I bet you never thought you'd have those kinds of talks with kids."

"No," I chuckled as I shook my head. "And then Liam, who's very inquisitive, asked how come everyone doesn't just like everyone, boys and girls? I left the room for that one. I figured questions about bisexuality were better left in his mothers' hands."

"Oh, man," Jasper laughed.

"I should warn you that since Emmett's wedding Liam has been talking about Cliff. I was with Cliff when Liam was born, and he still remembers him, so he's convinced himself that Cliff should be my boyfriend again and has been trying to convince me. I told him that Cliff has another boyfriend and that I do too, but he's never met you or Derek, so that part hasn't been sinking in so well. I'm sure as soon as you two meet he'll love you as much as I do, but just in case he does bring up Cliff, I wanted you to know it doesn't mean anything."

"Okay," Jasper said slowly. "You'll have to give me some pointers on how to win over his heart. And from the sound of it, Maggie and your mom's too. That's how this whole topic originally came up, right? You were worried that they weren't going to like me. I guess I'm a little surprised at that. I always thought your mom did like me, and while I understand how Maggie might be pissed at me after what happened Senior year, I would have thought now that the two of you are getting along she might forgive me for that."

"Senior year?" I was confused.

"Yeah, how I stopped talking to her when you ordered me to, even after she was the only one in school who would associate with me when you shunned me."

"Oh. She wasn't mad at you about that. She's not really mad at you at all, and she doesn't dislike you, exactly. It's more like, she saw what happened to me after you left Seattle, and then she saw how devastated I was after Rochester. It took me months to get over both, to the extent I could, and she's worried what might happen if this doesn't work out. She's just overprotective, Jasper, like my mom. Like your mom, I'm sure. But it's the same as what you said about your friends. Once they see us together, they'll understand."

"Right," Jasper nodded, but he sounded less certain than before. My spirits were dampened as well. We had a lot of people rooting for us, but a lot of challenges to overcome as well, more than most people did when they began a new relationship. I was certain we would make it, no matter what, but I wished the road ahead was a little smoother.

"So here we are. This is my building, across the street," Jasper announced, stopping in front of a multi-story residential unit. The brick-clad building was fairly modern, lacking the ornamentation of the more historic structures. A doorman stood under the large awning that covered the sidewalk in front of the lobby doors. The bottom level was made up of store fronts, including a small grocery store, dry cleaners, hair salon and a deli.

"I know it's not much to look at, but the location is good, pretty much everything I need is right downstairs, and for me it's just a place to rest my head. I'm only renting," Jasper explained. "I like this neighborhood and I like that I can walk to work easily to get my exercise or take the subway when it's raining or snowing."

"It's nice, Jas," I said sincerely. "I'm sure it's even nicer inside. I like that it's secure, with a doorman." In my mind a doorman would make assholes less inclined to bash anyone in the vicinity.

"This is a pretty safe neighborhood, Edward, even without the doorman," Jasper smiled. "Hey," he said, turning and pulling me into a hug. "You don't have to worry about me, okay? I promise you I am very safety-conscious when I'm out at night."

I nodded and looked up to the 18th floor, where I knew he lived. I wished I could go up there and see his apartment, his room, but I respected his desire to keep his friends from getting upset this weekend. For now, being this close, hugging him outside his apartment building, was good enough.

"Shall we go?" he asked after we exchanged a brief kiss. "Ready for your first subway ride?"

"Absolutely. I'm ready to follow you anywhere, Jas," I told him and grabbed his hand as we walked to the stairs that led down to the platforms.